Suffering from Back Pain? Try these Exercises

Spending time in front of the computer at work, sitting at the dinner table and in your car can often trigger severe upper back pain and pains in your lower back too. The culprit is often poor posture. To remedy the problems and keep back pain at bay, all that may be needed is a few simple exercises.

Some of the upper back pain exercises aimed at reducing problems can be done at work while you are sitting down.

To help release the tension which can lead to back pain, start by sitting upright in your office chair. Keep your legs slightly apart and your feet firmly on the ground. From this position, bend forwards while sliding your arms between your legs. Keep bending forwards until you feel a certain amount of tension – don’t overdo it! Depending on how flexible your spine is, you either won’t be able to bend forwards too far or you may even be able to touch the floor with your hands. You could try this while giving your eyes a break from the computer screen.

To help relax your back muscles and buttocks, something you can try at home in the evenings, maybe, is this excercise: start by kneeling on the floor and then sit on your heels. Next, slide your arms forward and push them along the floor while keeping them straight. For this anti back pain exercise to work, you need to try to flatten yourself out as much as possible.

To keep back pain levels minimal or non-existent, training and toning your muscles can make a big difference. Exercises to strengthen back muscles are well worth trying. One such exercise you can try is to lie down with your back to the ground and your arms by your sides. Bend your knees and keep your feet flat on the ground. Then contract your stomach muscles – your abs – while exhaling slowly with your mouth open. Hold this position for 10 seconds, then inhale slowly and repeat.

Another exercise that can help strengthen your back is called the “cat stretch”. To do this, start with your knees and hands resting on the floor, like a cat, and slowly round your back. Move your head down at the same time. Then raise your head slowly, this will push your stomach towards the floor.

As with all excercises, don’t keep stretching until you feel pain as this can cause injury.